Intra-operative tunnel expansion to prevent tunnel compression following latissimus dorsi muscle transfers

Serial examination of magnetic resonance images (MRI) for two months were carried out on two cases of multiple cerebral infarction during the acute stage. The T2-weighted MR images at the onset of the infarction showed both acute (new) and chronic (old) lesions appearing as high signal area. While on the diffusion weighted images only an acute lesion was detected as a high signal area with good contrast. The diffusion coefficient of the acute lesion was lower than that of normal white matter. Diffusion coefficient of the chronic lesions were higher than that of normal white matter. Therefore, on the apparent diffusion coefficient mapping images (ADC images) only an acute lesion appeared as a low signal area. The examination of diffusion images was very useful for distinguishing an acute lesion from a chronic lesion during the acute stage of multiple infarction. The diffusion weighted images after 4 weeks from the onset showed the diffusion coefficient of the "acute" lesion to be the same level of normal white matter. And after 8 weeks from the onset, increased to a level higher than that of normal white matter to the same level of the "chronic" lesion.     

Hash-Based Paging and Location Update Using Bloom Filters

We develop and analyze a hash-based paging and location update technique that reduces the paging cost in cellular systems. By applying a Bloom filter, the terminal identifier field of a paging message is coded to page a number of terminals concurrently. A small number of terminals may wake up and send what we call false location updates although they are not being paged. We compare the total number of paging and false location update messages with the cost of the standard paging procedure. Fortunately, the false location update probabilities can be made very small, and important bandwidth gains can be expected. The larger the size of the terminal identifier, the less probable are false location updates. Therefore, hash-based paging especially shows promise for IP paging in mobile IPv6 networks with 128-bit mobile host addresses.     

Management of instrumental perforations of the esophagus occurring during treatment of corrosive strictures

BACKGROUND: The initial symptoms of esophageal perforations (EP) may be subtle, but the progression is very rapid, and the outcome may be disastrous unless the diagnosis is made early and proper treatment is started immediately. METHODS: Between 1976 and 1996, 1,249 patients with caustic esophageal burns were treated at Ege University. The study group is composed of 52 patients with instrumental ER Perforations occured during dilatation attempts of esophageal strictures. Twelve patients were referred from other institutions after the occurrence of EP. RESULTS: In two patients, emergency surgical repair of the perforation was possible. Seventeen patients with unilateral and two patients with bilateral empyema were treated by pleural drainages. Anterior retrosternal mediastinal drainage was needed in one patient, and 11 patients required posterior mediastinal drainages. Three patients were treated by both anterior and posterior mediastinal drainage. Tracheoesophageal fistulas (TEF) developed in eight patients immediately after a dilatation attempt. Seven of these patients required esophageal replacement with colon to bypass the fistulas, and one patient in this group healed spontaneously. EP healed in 42.5 +/- 49.4 days. Twelve (23%) patients died of mediastinitis and sepsis. CONCLUSION: When EP is diagnosed and treated with these methods, the mortality rate should approach zero.     

Lead, cadmium, mercury and selenium intake by Greenlanders from local marine food

The human intake of lead, cadmium, mercury and selenium from local Greenlandic marine food was estimated based on dietary studies and contaminant information. The average lead intake was calculated to be 15 micrograms/person per week, which is very low, whereas the intake of cadmium and mercury was estimated to be very high, on average 1004 micrograms/person per week for cadmium and 846 for mercury, thereby significantly exceeding limits established by FAO/WHO. The main cadmium and mercury source was seal liver. Selenium intake was also high with whale skin as the dominant source.